Archipelago Ride - ride report

In keeping with the "string of islands" idea, this ride report will be a string of impressions.


The day started at the finish. The route finished at North of the Border bike shop in Mira Mesa, so the idea was to gather there and shuttle to La Costa, where the ride would begin. Shuttles seemed to organize organically, which sort of set the tone for the event: riders helping other riders and working things out. I was helping out as cashier, so was stuck at the registration table. Found a ride at the last minute, thanks Greg!

As I jumped in the car I realized I had left my gel flask in the fridge at home. Doh. Mike's reaction out on the trail: "Heaven forbid you have warm gel." Good point. But I had a couple bars and there was the SAG wagon, so I wasn't too worried.

My plan was to stick with Mike since he'd done the ride before and knows the trails in SD better than most. We were off course in about 5 min. Instead of heading into La Costa on Vista Del Mar, we go up Switchbacks. No biggie, I love climbing Switchbacks (seriously), and we get back on course at the top.

Mike is riding on a 1990's vintage Gary Fisher(?) hardtail that he's running as a 1x9. He makes it work, but it's a step down from his Titus El Guapo (may it rest in peace). As we come down off of La Costa, I decide to ignore my front shifter in a show of solidarity, and commit to doing the rest of the ride in my middle chainring. A little while after deciding on a virtual 1x9, it occurs to me that this means climbing the Way Up Trail in my middle ring. Maybe should have thought that through first...

The connector from La Costa to Elfin is pretty long, and a good microcosm of the ride. It stitches together sections of fireroad, dirt access roads, and great singletrack (much of it built by Rich). You can see how Rich's vision of a singletrack trail network linking the open space preserves is workable (the route is there) and worth working for (because it would be amazing if fully realized).

Rich is waiting for us on the way to Elfin, sporting a coconut bra and grass skirt. Yikes. We meet the SAG wagon just outside of Elfin, and I load up on Cliff Bars. Thanks to the SAG crew!

The Way Up not too bad in middle ring. I cleared most of it, needed a second attempt on some. Caught up with Mike B, who had jumped in at Elfin after discovering a mechanical at La Costa. Also ran into Christian who was riding a single speed. Makes 1x9 seem like cheating.

The ride down from Elfin to Hodges is a nasty gravel road. Even a rugged jeep road would have been more fun. I'm sure SDMBA is already working on getting a real trail there.... it's good incentive to get involved and help make it happen.

A quick run along Hodges takes us to Hernandez' Hideaway. Around 20 or so riders are there already (the lead group), waiting for the SAG wagon. It arrives, and Rich gets out. He's lost the grass skirt, down to a speedo. Don't like the way this is trending.

The trail from Hernandez toward the dam has been closed for a long time, it's been 7-8 years since I rode this way, and I've never ridden through San Dieguito. Once again, I'm amazed that trails and open space still exists among all the housing developments.

There is a golf course somewhere on the hillside above us. We pass an older guy carrying a golf club. Seriously, take the two stroke penalty, you are not finding your ball.

Do I love or hate the switchbacks at Crosby? They are gradual, smooth, fenced, and oh so groomed. This makes it easy to work on really tight turning without the complications of technical terrain, and it's good to practice tight maneuvers on the RIP9. They are also middle ring friendly. The trail is well-routed, and clearly a lot of work went into the construction. But I really wish DG was not used as a trail surface, and the switchbacks are a poster child for trail sanitization. Mountain bikers have to keep talking to land managers and spreading the gospel of what makes a great trail. Have you joined SDMBA yet?

As we leave SDRP, there is debate on which way to go. We choose wrong and miss the Jungle Trail, which everyone else raves about later. We pick up trail markers (flagging tape or flour) and cheer. When there are no markers, we choose the path with the most tire tracks. Navigation is a bit of jigsaw - different people know different parts of the route, and together we are able to figure it out.

There is a long, gradual fireroad climb out of De Luz to the Lusardi SAG stop. Mike sets a nice pace; without a granny gear, you can only slow down so much. This puts some of the riders in our group under pressure, but everyone is trying to stay together since no one knows the way.

We leave the SAG stop at Lusardi and immediately get lost again. There are about 20-30 riders together, and at one point, we go left, then right, then back left. At least we're all together. We make it back onto the trail and get headed towards Del Mar Mesa and LPQ. Mike probably knows the trails in this area better than anyone, and he leads up and over into Tunnels.

A pretty big group is riding together at this point. Dan is rocking a single speed vintage pink Bianci. Kurt is on a single speed as well. Jose is the smallest guy I've ever seen on a 29er, he has an 8(?) speed internal hub - it's nice to work at a bike shop. There are a bunch of guys I don't know in Shoebacca kits.

We hit a steep fireroad climb that takes us to the Deer Lake area. Kurt flies up it on his SS. I clear it in my middle ring, payoff for hill repeats. Then we go down a twisty trail full of ladders, ladder drops, and jumps. I balk at a ladder drop and a dozen riders back up behind me. Sorry, FWIW, I'm very brave going uphill.

Mike has been pushing it on his hardtail 1x9 for a while, and pays the price on one of the climbs. His quad cramps so bad that he falls over in the middle of a switchback. He cleverly landed on some nice soft bushes, but his leg is totally locked. He wants me to help him bend it, but at first I am afraid he's somehow dislocated his knee. We finally get his leg bent and he takes some Sport Legs and water. We switch bikes so he can use my granny gear and full suspension.

I get on Mike's bike and immediately steer into the bushes. WTF, he has ridden this thing down Noble, I cannot make it go in a straight line. This tells me two things, both of which I already knew: Mike is super talented, and really desperate to keep riding even w/o his El Guapo. I eventually get going, and even figure out that I can steer the bike if I lean forward and get some weight on the front wheel. Once I get the hang of it, the bike is not so bad, though I do almost kill myself when I first head downhill on it at the top of The Shits.

I took my time going down into LPQ, then stopped to give Karl some CO2. Soon it was me, Mike B, and Mike M heading down to the Wagon Wheel crossing, over the hill, and up Lopez Canyon. Then we were done and back at North of the Border Bikes. I think the our ride time was 6:45. The grill was going, and somehow Mike M had two burgers before I had finished leaning my bike down.

My memories from then on involve burgers, beers, selling a lot of t-shirts, and hanging out with a great group of folks. Thanks to everyone who worked to put this on, especially Rich, SDMBA, the SAG crew, the sweeper, the grill mistress, and Diana, who let me out to play all day.